Werewolfs haven't been getting the attention they deserve. People seem to think the "flip' is too unreliable. Pass the turn, flip the wolves....oh you can cast two spells...crap. Thankfully there is hope for wolfs, because the pass the turn to flip is just the wrong way to play the pack.
Werewolfs are cards with potential energy. Rather than wasting that sudden and drastic shift in board presence by passing and flipping on your turn at the cost of unspent mana and tempo, just play play another wolf, full moon's rise ect, and increase the potential energy. Your opponent simply has to play a card. Sometimes it is a play he would make anyways, but much of the time they are forced to make a play that they would not make otherwise. Control decks fall into this trap more often than most. A turn 1 waif turn 2 mayor forces them to play the think twice, vapor snag ect on their own turn just to keep the flips from happening and you smashing for 7 - 10 damge on turn 3. In the early turns this can keep their mana wrapped up, and so you are free to keep casting unimpaired.
Once the potential energy has reached a certain point, usually turn 4 or turn 5 i have found that it gets real ugly real fast. The key card of course is moonmist, probably the most underrated card in the block. Again it boils down to potential energy. The card is so much better than simply flip wolfs and attack. Declare attacks first, how are you supposed to defend? If I block and he has moon mist, all my damage is prevented and the wolfs take out a number of my guys... If I don't block then he gets through with a ton of damage...Or what if he is just bluffing mist? The defender has to consider both scenario's. With the mist functioning as an instance, the defender has to consider both sides of the card, and so can't safely block unless the block handles both sides of the card. If he lets the unflipped cards through, you have a choice to either flip for extra damage or hold onto it for the next turn and now let your fella's flip with a pass after getting something out of it!
Now lets say you slow play mist. How is an aggressive zombie deck going to figure out attacks? Attacks will bash the human side in...but what if he flips, prevents all my damage, and then comes at me next turn with a bunch off beefy crushers hungry for nerd brains? Again, the "potential" threat of mist makes it the most underrated card in the block.
Other strengths of woofs?
One of the only tribal decks able to have double pump by turn 3 with T2 mayor and t3 immer (merefolk would be the other).
Full moon's rise is hugely underrated for its ability to protect against board wipe and spot removal with "regenerate all werewolfs." As a plus, once the moon is on the table, you don't need mana to activate the ability which makes it double nasty. I'm not sure what other card in the block can give that kind of value.
You can side in different wolves for different threats, thus both maintaining your potential flip threat and dealing with their deck. Control deck? Bring in the low cost fella's and aggro them out. Delver or spirits? Bring in some extra day breaks. Artifact based decks? Afflicted deserter has lasting artifact removal with the added 3 damage zing. In addition, Ancient grudge, crushing vines and naturalize all fit into the deck seamlessly. Zombies? Grave crawler doesn't look so hot when you are taking 2 damage every time you cast from the grave, or reanimate whatever with the lich.
Mana curve is very low, with a max cost of 4, for the kind of power this deck generates.
New favorite nerd stomping draw... t1 waif or captive, t2 mayor or shepherd, t3 immer, outlaw,shepherd or fullmoon, t4 instigator, immer, outlaw, or shepherd with the mist waiting, t5 smash nerd to the face, mist and laugh. T5 swing in best circumstance (and so almost never) is for 33 damage.
Cards in the deck that could be considered dubious:
Faithless looting: Not all draws are perfect, so spending some time and energy on faithless looting can fix you into a better curved hand. I've liked having it on a couple occasions.
Prey upon: Added spot removal seems like a must since daybreak ranger doesn't always kick in right when you need him to.
Wild Hunger: Provides the extra thrust to win a close game, surprise a titan trying to eat your 3/3, make the flipped kruin outlaw slaughter just about anything. Get a little card advantage through flashback.
Green sun's zeinth: Get whatever woof you need if the game drags on.
Worst match up seems to be against reanimator simply because it can often put a turn 4 elish on the table. Comes down to if they get it out turn 4 or turn 5 and who is going first. Best to side in the fast and aggressive fellas.
Mayor still remains a prime target for gut shot, tragic slip geist flame (with great power comes great fragility). You can play around it a bit if you have an immer in hand by slow playing it to turn 4. Still a good push with T4 mayor then mist.
BTW, In this style of deck huntsmaster and garruk are over-rated. That being said, in other decks they remain beasts that can have a huge impact.
Final benefit to the wolf deck...it is a cheap deck to put together!!
Would love to hear thoughts and responses.